True History of Chocolate
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"A beautifully written...and illustrated history of the Food of the Gods, from Olmecs to present-day developments."—Chocolatier. KLIATT A poster from the 19th century advertising Cadbury's cocoa proclaims it "makes strong men stronger" and a poster from a few decades later states that "Hershey's Milk Chocolate [makes] a meal in itself." These sentiments are dear to any chocoholic and enough to bring indigestion to any dietician. The True Story of Chocolate is, however, much more than superficial posters or cute anecdotes about this most popular of sweets. It is an in-depth history of a New World food, its influence on its conquerors and their civilization and its evolution as a part of our diet. Chocolate has at various times been regarded as medicinal, dangerous and heavenly. As science and industry changed, so did the way that chocolate was produced and delivered. (Its main form centuries ago was as a drink). Details on the cacao plant (which is very difficult to grow) and on the earliest history of the plant grown by the ancient Maya are also included. It is difficult to imagine a more comprehensive book on this subject. True chocoholics, food historians and literary gourmets will find this a fascinating read. The authors—she an anthropologist and food historian and he an anthropologist with a specialty in the Maya—have done a most thorough job of researching a food we are both fixated with and take for granted. Reader will find out things about chocolate they never would have dreamed of. KLIATT Codes: SA—Recommended for senior high school students, advanced students, and adults. 1996, Thames & Hudson, 280p, illus, notes, bibliog, index, 24cm, 95-61824, $18.95. Ages 16 to adult. Reviewer: Katherine E. Gillen; Libn., Luke AFB Lib., AZ January 2001 (Vol. 35 No. 1)
Preface7Introduction10Ch. 1The Tree of the Food of the Gods16Ch. 2The Birth of Cacao: Olmec-Maya Genesis35Ch. 3The Aztecs: People of the Fifth Sun67Ch. 4Encounter and Transformation104Ch. 5Chocolate Conquers Europe125Ch. 6The Source179Ch. 7Chocolate in the Age of Reason (and Unreason)203Ch. 8Chocolate for the Masses235Epilogue: Full Circle267Notes269Bibliography272Sources of Illustrations276Index277
